dm123 Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 This is a follow-up to an issue I raised about the name “physician’s assistant” a while back. rcdavis and I were jointly checking out a clinic that had virtually everyone in the clinic that did not have some sort of medical training with a name tag that read “physician’s assistant” with the apostrophe, small letters after their name. For example Jane Doe, physician’s assistant, John Doe, physician’s assistant. The physician’s assistant moniker did not begin with capital letters. I first noticed the name tags some months back, not sure of the exact date but probably the first of 2011 while getting my thumb injected. It was the kind of thing that kind of irked me at the time but I didn’t say anything until I read a post on this forum that reminded me of the visit. Anyway, I raised the question about following up. rcdavis knew them, went by on a casual visit and apparently the name tags were changed sometime between my visit and his visit to “Jane Doe, PA, John Doe, PA, etc. with capital letters. I had my wife at this clinic week before last. The area where patients make their co-pay is in sort of a private area away from the waiting room. I point blank ask the lady behind the desk (or glass partition with the speak hole in it) “When I was here some months back you guys had the name “physician’s assistant” on your name tag after your name. Since I am a PA, I was curious about the title”. It didn’t take an expert in body language to realize she didn’t want to talk about it. She shrugged, looked at her name tag, looked up, hesitated and played dumb. I didn’t push the issue. As noted, these folks now have ”PA” after their name on their name tag. Since I was serving the role of car driver, I didn’t get beyond the waiting room and have no idea about personnel in back. I suppose a case could be made that the PA on their name tags stand for Professionals in Association. Many lawyers, doctors, architects have this in their official business title, referring to the group. It is a legal term kind of like Inc. or LLC to describe a business relationship. I don’t think, under circumstances I’m aware of, it could be used to refer to an individual or their level of any sort of training. At any rate, I don't see your average patient, or even most medical people making a mental link to Professional in Association. My guess is if they are ever at any kind of medical related function (like a BP check clinic), stop by the grocery store on the way home, or have to hand carry stuff to the hospital, they were this name tag. At the time of my initial visit, there were no Physician Associate (might as well get use to using the tag) working there. There was a NP (ARNP to be official). She left and a real Physician Associate works there now. I’ve never met him but was kind of surprised he hadn’t made an issue of the name tag thing. I’m still a bit put-out, maybe even more so, by the current name tag thing. These are all good people at this clinic and I’m sure the powers that be are only trying to add a bit of medical professionalism to basically secretarial types with no medical training. If they tried to call them NAs (nursing assistants), or CMA (certified medical assistants) without the obligatory training, I feel their professional agencies would sling a fit, be in their face with slobber and spit kicking dirt the whole time. I wish there was some tactful way of settling my angst over this issue. Am I making too much of this? I’m open to suggestions. Maybe someone who is familiar with this group could mention over coffee or a beer that there is this nutcase up north that thinks acronyms after a person’s name on a name tag means something and feels it infringes on a title he work long and hard for, took ten years to pay back education loans, lost a fiancé over and should be reserved for those who have earned the privilege through study, and personal sacrifice, and medical training. Finally, I would gladly buy them newer, better looking name tags to put this to bed. As a side issue, maybe the AAPA or whoever could copyright the name Physician Associate and hand it out to new graduates. Copyright laws do give the owner of the copyright the ability to determine who uses a name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dm123 Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 This is a follow-up to an issue I raised about the name “physician’s assistant” a while back. rcdavis and I were jointly checking out a clinic that had virtually everyone in the clinic that did not have some sort of medical training with a name tag that read “physician’s assistant” with the apostrophe, small letters after their name. For example Jane Doe, physician’s assistant, John Doe, physician’s assistant. The physician’s assistant moniker did not begin with capital letters. I first noticed the name tags some months back, not sure of the exact date but probably the first of 2011 while getting my thumb injected. It was the kind of thing that kind of irked me at the time but I didn’t say anything until I read a post on this forum that reminded me of the visit. Anyway, I raised the question about following up. rcdavis knew them, went by on a casual visit and apparently the name tags were changed sometime between my visit and his visit to “Jane Doe, PA, John Doe, PA, etc. with capital letters. I had my wife at this clinic week before last. The area where patients make their co-pay is in sort of a private area away from the waiting room. I point blank ask the lady behind the desk (or glass partition with the speak hole in it) “When I was here some months back you guys had the name “physician’s assistant” on your name tag after your name. Since I am a PA, I was curious about the title”. It didn’t take an expert in body language to realize she didn’t want to talk about it. She shrugged, looked at her name tag, looked up, hesitated and played dumb. I didn’t push the issue. As noted, these folks now have ”PA” after their name on their name tag. Since I was serving the role of car driver, I didn’t get beyond the waiting room and have no idea about personnel in back. I suppose a case could be made that the PA on their name tags stand for Professionals in Association. Many lawyers, doctors, architects have this in their official business title, referring to the group. It is a legal term kind of like Inc. or LLC to describe a business relationship. I don’t think, under circumstances I’m aware of, it could be used to refer to an individual or their level of any sort of training. At any rate, I don't see your average patient, or even most medical people making a mental link to Professional in Association. My guess is if they are ever at any kind of medical related function (like a BP check clinic), stop by the grocery store on the way home, or have to hand carry stuff to the hospital, they were this name tag. At the time of my initial visit, there were no Physician Associate (might as well get use to using the tag) working there. There was a NP (ARNP to be official). She left and a real Physician Associate works there now. I’ve never met him but was kind of surprised he hadn’t made an issue of the name tag thing. I’m still a bit put-out, maybe even more so, by the current name tag thing. These are all good people at this clinic and I’m sure the powers that be are only trying to add a bit of medical professionalism to basically secretarial types with no medical training. If they tried to call them NAs (nursing assistants), or CMA (certified medical assistants) without the obligatory training, I feel their professional agencies would sling a fit, be in their face with slobber and spit kicking dirt the whole time. I wish there was some tactful way of settling my angst over this issue. Am I making too much of this? I’m open to suggestions. Maybe someone who is familiar with this group could mention over coffee or a beer that there is this nutcase up north that thinks acronyms after a person’s name on a name tag means something and feels it infringes on a title he work long and hard for, took ten years to pay back education loans, lost a fiancé over and should be reserved for those who have earned the privilege through study, and personal sacrifice, and medical training. Finally, I would gladly buy them newer, better looking name tags to put this to bed. As a side issue, maybe the AAPA or whoever could copyright the name Physician Associate and hand it out to new graduates. Copyright laws do give the owner of the copyright the ability to determine who uses a name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 This wouldn't fly in my state. "PA" is a legally protected term... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 This wouldn't fly in my state. "PA" is a legally protected term... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemegroup Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Am I making too much of this? Lemme think .... no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemegroup Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 Am I making too much of this? Lemme think .... no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted July 29, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2011 report the office to the state license board for misrepresenting their staff credentials - if it is a proteccted name in the state reg's no you are not making to much of this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted July 29, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2011 report the office to the state license board for misrepresenting their staff credentials - if it is a proteccted name in the state reg's no you are not making to much of this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 29, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2011 yup, rat them out to the medical board please. seriously. do it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted July 29, 2011 Moderator Share Posted July 29, 2011 yup, rat them out to the medical board please. seriously. do it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imapastudent Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Here's an interesting take on the topic: http://www.mypatraining.com/physicians-assistant-or-physician-assistant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imapastudent Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Here's an interesting take on the topic: http://www.mypatraining.com/physicians-assistant-or-physician-assistant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.